Doppelganger
by OhJay
Summary: Ever wonder how Ed and Alfons Heiderich met and became friends? Here's how it happened. Post anime,three shot, no yaoi.
1. I Meeting By Chance

_**I Meeting By Chance **_

Germany, 1922

Sixteen year old Alfons Heiderich sighed as he set his book down. He just couldn't concentrate anymore, but who wouldn't after finding out they were dying? He wasn't feeling good, so he went to the doctor. That's when he was told he had an incurable fatal lung disease and only had about a year to live. First he would start coughing, then it would slowly get worse. Once he started coughing up blood was the sign that he only had a month or two left.

What was he going to do? He was going to die before his eighteenth birthday, just like his brother had. He wanted to make himself known before he died, get in the future history books. That way people would always remember him. He had friends that could get him a job researching rockets, and he was always good with science so he would start there. His brother would be proud of him.

His thoughts were interrupted by the noise of something being dragged across the floor. He was in the local library, and it was pretty quiet considering it was a slow day so he got up to see what was going on. A short boy about his age was muttering something in a language he didn't understand* as he dragged a step stool over to a shelf. He had long golden blonde hair that was worn in a pony tail and had white gloves over his hands, but he couldn't see his face. He watched as the boy set the stool down on the ground and stood on it and tried to reach a book on the top shelf, but he was still to short.

"Brauchen Sie etwas Hilfe?" ("Do you need some help?") he asked as he walked over.

"Kein Dank bekam ich es" ("No thanks I got it")

The boy's German was perfect, but it was obvious that it wasn't his first language. Alfons continued to watch as the boy put one foot on the shelf then lifted himself up, grabbed the book he wanted, then quickly got down before something fell over**. Then he turned around and faced Alfons. Both of them gasped in shock as their eyes widened in surprise.

"Alphonse?" he whispered.

_**Author's Notes**_

Alright originally I was going to make this a one shot, but I decided it would be better to make it a two or three shot instead. The German I got from an online translator so it may not be perfect, but still. I know this is a short chapter, but the next one will be longer I promise. Please review, and I am accepting suggestions on this.

*Amestrian

**I'm short so I've done this before.


	2. II Brother

_**II Brother**_

The boy's name was Edward Elric, a young man also interested in rocket science. He was seventeen, and also German like Alfons, or at least that's what he told him.

""Ist etwas falsch?" ("Is something wrong?")

They were having lunch together at a cafe down the street, but Ed kept looking at him strangely. Alfons was doing the same thing, after all it's not everyday you see someone with golden eyes.

"Das ist gerade …" ("It's just...") Ed lowered his gaze as he spoke, and his expression turned from nostalgia to sadness.

"Sie sind so viel meinem Bruder ähnlich das ist fast schmerzhaft... Sie teilen sogar denselben Namen ..." ("You look so much like my brother it's almost painful...You even share the same name...")

That explained it. When he first saw him he seemed pretty shocked, and that's why he whispered his name. It sounded like his brother was dead, and he felt guilty for bringing up something that was hard on him.

"Ich gehe besser" ("I better go")

Ed stood up and left some marks* on the table to pay for his share of the meal, then he left. Alfons felt like an idiot, and his appetite was gone too. He too put the money on the table and left, and once he was outside he began looking for Ed. He wanted to apologize, but what would he say? "I'm sorry about your brother but mine's dead too so I know how you feel?" That didn't seem right. He couldn't find him anyway.

Alfons had gone back to his apartment for a bit, but then his roommate asked him to do a few errands for him. He didn't mind, he needed to take his mind off of everything anyway. It was dark by the time he was done, and he had to walk home which made things worse. Germany's economy was pretty bad at this time, and people were often robbed on the streets. Alfons walked quickly knowing this, but he still had to pass a few alleys and that made him nervous.

He always walked faster when he passed one, and once it was behind him he felt better, but when he came up to one he was grabbed and punched in the stomach. He fell to his knees and the blows kept coming, but then he heard a familiar voice:

"Hey!"

It was in English, but he recognized it as Ed's. Two of the men came at Ed, but he seemed to know how to fight because he kicked one in the stomach with his left leg and elbowed the other with his right. Both of them were down, but there were still three more, and they had guns. Ed saw this and glared, then quickly ran at them. He was fast, and managed to knock out two more of the men before they could shoot. Then he turned around and covered the man's gun with his right hand right as he shot. Alfon's eyes widened when he saw this, and he was even more shocked that it was the man who got hurt and not Ed. The bullet had somehow backfired, and he ran off holding his bleeding hand.

"Sie ok?" ("You ok?") Ed asked as he helped him up.

"I speak English if that's easier for you"

Ed shrugged.

"I'm pretty good at both so I don't really care"

Alfons nodded, but looked at Ed's hand. It didn't seem to be wounded at all, but he couldn't tell because of the white gloves he was wearing.

"But how did you do that?"

"I had a good teacher"

"I meant with the gun"

"Oh"

Ed glanced down at his gloved hand then looked back up at Alfons.

"Promise you won't tell?" he asked as if they were kids keeping a secret.

He nodded and Ed removed his glove. He didn't notice anything at first besides his skin being really pale, but then Ed showed him his palm. There was a hole in the "skin", and under it was metal: He had a fake hand.

"It goes all the way up to my shoulder, my left leg's the same way"

He was about to ask how it happened and where he got such a thing, but he didn't want to bring up any painful memories of his _again_.

"Listen, Ed. About your brother I'm sorry I asked...I know how you feel though, my older brother died in an air raid-

"He looks like me doesn't he? And he was also named Edward wasn't he?"

"How'd you know?"

"I saw the way you were looking at me earlier, it was just a guess" he lied.

Ed remembered the first time he came over into this world, when his soul ended up in the other Edward's body. It was his fault that he had gotten killed.

"Alfons" Ed said as he looked up at the sky.

"Yeah?"

"Would you believe me if I told you I'm from another world?"

_**Author's Notes**_

Alright it looks like this is gonna be a three shot. Now we don't know for sure that Alfons H. and the other Ed were actually brothers, but I think they are and I'm not the only one, and no English and Amestrian are not the same thing. I should have the next/last chapter up this week, but I'd like some reviews first.

*German currency.


	3. IIIThe beginning of a Beautiful Friendsh

_**III The beginning of a Beautiful Friendship**_

"_Would you believe me if I told you I was from another world?"_

Those words kept echoing in Alfons' head. He almost laughed when he asked him that, but he seemed so serious about it so he didn't. Neither of them said anything to each other that night, they just went their separate ways. Still, those words kept echoing in his mind over the next few days. He had a few theories on it: A. Ed was crazy, B. He read to much science fiction and it had warped his reality senses, or C: He really, actually, somehow meant what he said.

He doubted it was C though. Ed was probably a guy who had some sort of trauma and just needed some help. There wasn't any chance he was right, he didn't even know what exactly he had meant by saying that. It was on his mind for the next few days and he kept coming up with theories on it, but he didn't see Ed.

Days turned into weeks, and he eventually forgot about it thinking he wouldn't see the strange boy again. The day came when he was supposed to meet the other Rocket scientists that he would be working with at Dr. Oberth's* laboratory. There were only a few people there, none that he knew but they were all kind and welcoming. As the doctor spoke they listened to every word, that was until he saw Ed. He hadn't noticed him yet, he was to busy listening. His golden eyes shined with fierce determination and he wore a smile on his face, but it also seemed deep in thought.

He seemed so happy that day, and he wasn't sure why. After he was done speaking there was applause from the scientists then a bit of chatter broke out. Alfons took that moment to walk over to Ed and tap him on the shoulder. When he turned around he seemed surprised to see him, then smiled.

"I didn't know you'd be here" said Ed.

"I could say the same thing"

"Guess we have more in common then he we thought"

"Wanna have some lunch?" Alfons asked hesitantly.

He wanted to talk to Ed about what he had told him earlier.

"Sure"

"So why are you studying rocketry?" asked Ed as they ate at a local diner.

"It's a long story..." he said softly.

He didn't want to tell anyone about his fatal disease, otherwise people might treat him differently. Ed nodded. He could tell he didn't want to talk about it.

"What about you?" he asked hoping to change the subject.

"I'm trying to get home" he said calmly.

"Back...To your world?"

Ed nodded.

"Do you believe me?"

"I'm not really sure" he admitted.

Ed shrugged.

"As long as you don't think I'm a complete nut I don't really care"

Alfons nodded. He couldn't say for sure that Ed was completely sane, but he seemed like it.

"But why a rocket?"

"It's just a theory actually. I ended up here by accident and can't get back the way I came"

"What's it like? Your world I mean"

Ed smiled and his eyes softened. He began to tell him about Amestris and alchemy. He talked about some of the adventures he and Al went on, but left out a few details like their taboo and Al being in the suit of armor. Alfons still wasn't sure what to think of it. Either Ed had a good imagination, or one of his other theories were true.

"So where are you staying at?"

The two had finished lunch and left the diner and were now walking around the city.

"Haven't found a place yet, but I'm used to traveling so I'll be fine"

"You can stay with me if you'd like, then we could split the rent."

Ed smiled.

"Sounds good"

They continued walking, but looked up at the sunny blue mid-day sky.

"Ya'know something Alfons"

"What?"

"I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship"**

_**Author's Notes**_

Aright first I'd like to apologize for updating later than I thought I would. Spring break ended fast, and school has been a pain lately. Thank you for those of you that reviewed, but if you really don't like it please keep it to yourself (I'm not saying any names or pointing fingers but you know who you are).

*In ep. 51 Ed mention's this name and says he was going to go see him.

**This is a quote from some old movie that my best friend keeps quoting (If you're reading this Callie you're awesome!) so I've had it drilled into my head for a while so I used it. If someone knows what movie I' talking about please tell me so I can credit it.


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